NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

Wind Technologies and 

Evolving Opportunities

Robi Robichaud

Senior Engineer

Society of American February 27, 2014

Military Engineers Webinar
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

• National Wind Technology Center – Research

• Blades

• Generators

• Wind resource

• Wind Market Update

• Recession impacts

• PTC

• RPS

• Wind Technology Overview 

• Larger rotors

• Taller towers

• Wind Resource

• Improved wind maps & assessment

2

Opportunities for Wind Technology 
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

National Wind Technology Center Overview

• Turbine testing since 1977

• Leader in development of 

design and analysis codes

• Pioneers in component 

testing

• Unique test facilities

• Blade testing

• Dynamometer

• CART turbines

• Modern utility-scale turbines

• Approx. 150 staff onsite

• Budget approx. $35M

• Many CRADAs with 

industry

• Leadership roles for 

international standards.

Photo by Lee Jay Fingersh, NREL 24349

Photo by Scott Hughes, NREL 14708 Image from Jason Jonkman, NREL

Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL 28229 
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

The NWTC will be an essential partner for the 

technical development and large-scale deployment 

of wind power.

Goals:

• Improve windplant power production

• Reduce windplant capital cost

• Improve windplant reliability and lower O&M cost

• Eliminate barriers to large-scale deployment.

National Wind Technology Center Vision

LCOE
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Photo used by permission of Uni-Fly A/S

• Power performance and 

reliability influences are 

reduced in arrays.

• Understanding inflow / array 

interaction is key.

• Computational models, 

control paradigms, and 

hardware development will 

be required.

• A detailed understanding of 

the following is required:

– Rotor wake interactions

– PBL characteristics

– Inflow / wind farm interaction

– Complex terrain effects.

Horn’s Rev

Windplant Aerodynamics Problem
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Physics-Based Array Aerostructural Dynamics

6

Interaction with low-speed streak

Moop

Myaw

Images from Matt Churchfield and Sang Lee, NREL
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Wind Energy Market Trends
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Worldwide Wind Market Update

Source: www.windpoweringamerica.gov/pdfs/workshops/2013_summit/wiser.pdf

2012 Wind Technologies Market Report Summary; WPA All-States Summit; May 8, 2013
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Wind as a Percentage of Electricity Consumption

Source: www.windpoweringamerica.gov/pdfs/workshops/2013_summit/wiser.pdf

2012 Wind Technologies Market Report Summary; WPA All-States Summit; May 8, 2013
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Wind Power Additions Hit a New Record in 2006

Source: www.windpoweringamerica.gov/pdfs/workshops/2006_summit/wiser.pdf

2006 Wind Technologies Market Report Summary

PTC-Driven Results
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

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199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012

 Annual U.S. Capacity (left scale)

 Cumulative U.S. Capacity (right scale)

Cumulative Capacity (GW)

Annual Capacity (GW)

Wind Power Additions: New Record in 2012

Source: www.windpoweringamerica.gov/pdfs/workshops/2006_summit/wiser.pdf

2006 Wind Technologies Market Report Summary

Expiring PTC-Driven Results

2006
 12 Innovation for Our Energy Future

U.S. Wind Power Capacity Growth

Source: http://awea.files.cmsplus.com/FileDownloads/pdfs/AWEA%204Q2013%20Wind%20Energy%20Industry%20Market%20Report_Public%20Version.pdf

AWEA U.S. Wind Industry - Fourth Quarter 2013 Market Report; January 30, 2014
 13 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Wind Power Capacity Completions by Quarter

Source: http://awea.files.cmsplus.com/FileDownloads/pdfs/AWEA%204Q2013%20Wind%20Energy%20Industry%20Market%20Report_Public%20Version.pdf

AWEA U.S. Wind Industry - Fourth Quarter 2013 Market Report; January 30, 2014
 14 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Wind Power Capacity under Construction

Source: http://awea.files.cmsplus.com/FileDownloads/pdfs/AWEA%204Q2013%20Wind%20Energy%20Industry%20Market%20Report_Public%20Version.pdf

AWEA U.S. Wind Industry - Fourth Quarter 2013 Market Report; January 30, 2014
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Incentives – Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS)

Source: Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (funded by the U.S. Department of Energy) 
 Innovation for Our Energy Future 16

 Wind Capacity by State

At end of 

2012:

Texas > 2 X wind 

capacity of any 

other state

22 states had 

>500 MW of 

capacity 

(15 > 1 GW, 

10 > 2 GW)

2 states >20% of 

total in-state 

generation from 

wind 

(9 > 10%, 17 > 5%)

Source: www.windpoweringamerica.gov/pdfs/workshops/2013_summit/wiser.pdf

2012 Wind Technologies Market Report Summary; WPA All-States Summit; May 8, 2013
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Lower Turbine Pricing

Starting to Appear in Reported Total Project Costs

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500

1,000

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3,000

3,500

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1982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012

Installed Project Cost (2012 $/kW)

 Individual Project Cost (681 projects totaling 49,112 MW)

 Capacity-Weighted Average Project Cost

Source: www.windpoweringamerica.gov/pdfs/workshops/2013_summit/wiser.pdf

2012 Wind Technologies Market Report Summary; WPA All-States Summit; May 8, 2013
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Economies of Scale – Project Size Matters

0

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1,000

1,500

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2,500

3,000

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5,000

≤5 MW

116 MW

55 projects

5-20 MW

341 MW

25 projects

20-50 MW

1,103 MW

31 projects

50-100 MW

2,102 MW

27 projects

100-200 MW

6,101 MW

45 projects

>200 MW

5,721 MW

22 projects

Installed Project Cost (2012 $/kW)

 Capacity-Weighted Average Project Cost

 Individual Project Cost

Sample includes projects built in 2011 and 2012

Source: www.windpoweringamerica.gov/pdfs/workshops/2013_summit/wiser.pdf

2012 Wind Technologies Market Report Summary; WPA All-States Summit; May 8, 2013
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Domestic Wind-Related Manufacturing 

More than 160 

manufacturing 

plants capable 

of producing 12 

GW/yr

Source: www.windpoweringamerica.gov/pdfs/workshops/2013_summit/wiser.pdf

2012 Wind Technologies Market Report Summary; WPA All-States Summit; May 8, 2013
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Wind Turbine Technology Trends
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Power in Wind Equation

 Derived from K.E. = 1⁄2 mv2

 P = A * ρ * V3 /2 

– P = Power of the wind [Watts] – A = Windswept area of rotor (blades) = πD/4 = πr2 [ m2] – ρ = Density of the air [kg/m3 ] (at sea level at 15°C) – V = Velocity of the wind [m/s]

D

Wind energy is proportional to velocity cubed (V3):

– 25% higher wind speed ≈ 2 times the power available

–If wind speed is doubled, power increases by a factor of 8 (23 = 8)! 

Small differences in average speed cause 

big differences in energy production!

Wind energy is kinetic energy − mass and momentum
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

This power curve graph 

illustrates the GE 1.6-100

1.6-MW with 100-m rotor (low 

wind speed turbine – suitable 

for Kaneohe) and an 82.5-m 

rotor (suitable for sites without 

extreme wind or turbulence).

The enlarged rotor moves the 

power curve to the left so the 

turbine produces more power 

(and energy) at lower wind 

speeds.

At 7 m/s, it might have 

produced ~500 kW with an 

82.5-m rotor, but with a 100-m 

rotor it will produce ~700 kW –

a 40% increase !! Over the 

course of a year, it really 

makes a difference.

GE 1.6-MW Wind Turbine
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Wind Speed and Power Increase with Height 

above the Ground

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

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2.2

2.4

2.6

2.8

3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Wind Speed and Power Factor 

Height Above Ground (m)

Wind Power Increase

Wind Speed Increase
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Turbine – Sized to Economic Project Goals

Bergey

Excel 10-

kW 

~ 1 home 

Vestas V47

600-kW

~ 200 

homes 

GE 1.5sle

1.5-MW

~ 500 

homes 

Vestas V-90

3-MW

~ 1,000 

homes 
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Wind Resource – Improved Tools
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Wind Resource Mapping: Wind Class at 50-m Height

50-m wind mapping 

(2001-2009) 

• Culmination of long-term 

project that began in 

2001; jointly funded by 

states and DOE/WPA

• Comprehensive validation 

of maps using available 

measurement data

• Incorporated state maps 

by others to produce a 

national wind map 

(“patchwork quilt” evident 

in some regions) 

• 50-m wind potential 

estimates to support U.S. 

20% wind scenario study.
 27 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Changes in Wind Maps over Time: Kansas Example
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

New U.S. Wind Resource Map: Wind Speed at 80 m
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

Georgia: New Turbines Provide Greater Wind Potential 

Increasing hub height from 

80 to 100 m:

•Doubles the potential wind 

capacity in Georgia at sites 

with a 30% capacity factor, 

from 200 to 400 MW

•Quadruples potential wind 

capacity at 25% capacity 

factor sites, from 500 to 

2,000 MW
 Innovation for Our Energy Future

• National Wind Technology Center – research

• Wind – incentives & markets

• Wind technology improvements 

• Wind resource assessment improvements.

30

Opportunities for Wind Technology 
Questions?

For more info:

www.nrel.gov/wind

www.windpoweringamerica.gov

www.awea.org

www.nrel.gov/wind/resource_assessment.html

Robi Robichaud

robi.robichaud@nrel.gov

Senior Engineer

Federal Wind - Wind Exchange & Wind 

Deployment 

National Wind Technology Center

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

15013 Denver West Parkway

Golden, CO 80401